Layer Marney Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Layer Marney Tower |
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Layer Marney Tower Gatehouse, the tallest Tudor gatehouse in Britain
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| Type | Prodigy House |
| Location | Layer Marney, Essex |
| Built | c.1523 |
| Architectural style(s) | Tudor |
| Website | layermarneytower.co.uk |
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Layer Marney Tower is a really old house in Essex, England. It was started around 1523 but never completely finished. It's known for its amazing gardens and parkland. In 1952, it was given a special Grade I listing. This means it's a very important historic building.
The most impressive part of the house is its huge gatehouse tower. It's the tallest Tudor gatehouse in all of Britain! This grand house was built when King Henry VIII was on the throne. It was mainly built by Henry, 1st Lord Marney, and his son John. Sadly, both died soon after, and the house was never fully completed. What they did finish was a long main building, the tall gatehouse, other smaller buildings, and a new church.
Contents
History of Layer Marney Tower
Earthquake Damage and Early Repairs
In 1884, Layer Marney Tower was badly damaged. A big earthquake, known as the Great English earthquake, shook the area. A magazine called The Builder wrote about the damage. They thought it would cost too much money to fix the towers. They believed the house might never be repaired.
But two people, Alfred Peache and Kezia Peache, decided to start the repairs. They fixed the floors and roofs of the gatehouse. They also created the beautiful garden that you can see south of the Tower today.
New Owners and Garden Expansions
The next owner was Walter de Zoete. He continued the repair work and made the house even grander. He had many staff members, both inside the house and working in the gardens. Walter de Zoete made the gardens much bigger. He also built a small, decorative building called the Tea House. This building was later turned into a holiday cottage in 1999.
He also changed the stables into a Long Gallery. Here, he kept his large collection of furniture, paintings, and other valuable items. Because of all his work, the inside of the house looks more like an Edwardian style home than what the Marneys originally planned.
From Stock Market to Family Home
Walter de Zoete lost a lot of money. This happened because of a problem with the Japanese stock market. So, he had to sell the house to a Dr and Mrs Campbell.
In 1959, the Charrington family bought Layer Marney Tower. Gerald and Susan Charrington had actually gotten married in the Layer Marney church just two years before. When Mrs Campbell's family put the house up for sale, the Charringtons bought it. The Charrington family has lived there ever since.
Layer Marney Tower Today
The gardens of Layer Marney Tower are very special. They are listed as Grade II on the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. This means they are historically important. The main building itself was given a Grade I listing in 1952.
Today, you can visit the tower and gardens. They are usually open to the public from mid-April until October 1st. There is a small fee to enter. Layer Marney Tower is also a popular place for weddings and other events. It has even been used for TV shows. In 2011, the BBC show Antiques Roadshow filmed an episode there.
